Browsing by Author "Lan, Nguyen Phu Huong"

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    Development and evaluation of a real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for the rapid detection of Talaromyces marneffei MP1 gene in human plasma
    (Mycoses, 2016-12-01) Hien, Ha Thuc Ai; Thanh, Tran Tan; Thu, Nguyen Thi Mai; Nguyen, Ashley; Thanh, Nguyen Tat; Lan, Nguyen Phu Huong; Simmons, Cameron; Shikuma, Cecilia; Chau, Nguyen Van Vinh; Thwaites, Guy; Le, Thuy
    © 2016 The Authors. Mycoses Published by Blackwell Verlag GmbH Penicilliosis caused by Talaromyces marneffei is a common AIDS-defining illness in South and Southeast Asia. Diagnosis is based on culture which can take up to 14 days for identification, leading to treatment delay and increased mortality. We developed a TaqMan real-time PCR assay targeting the MP1 gene encoding an abundant cell wall protein specific to T. marneffei. The assay's performance was evaluated in MP1-containing plasmids, clinical isolates, and plasma from HIV-infected patients with and without penicilliosis. The assay consistently detected 10 copies of MP1-containing plasmids per reaction and 100 T. marneffei yeast cells per millilitre plasma. There were no amplification with seven other Penicillium species and six other HIV-associated fungal pathogens tested. The assay was evaluated in 70 patients with AIDS: 50 patients with culture-confirmed penicilliosis and 20 patients with opportunistic infections other than penicilliosis. The diagnostic sensitivity was 70.4% (19/27, 95% CI: 51.5–84.1%) and 52.2% (12/23, 95% CI: 33.0–70.8%) in plasma samples collected prior to and within 48 h of antifungal therapy respectively. The diagnostic specificity was 100% (20/20, 95% CI: 83.9–100%). This assay provides a useful tool for the rapid diagnosis of T. marneffei infection and has the potential to improve the management of patients with penicilliosis.
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    Diagnosing Rhodococcus equi infections in a setting where tuberculosis is highly endemic: a double challenge.
    (J Clin Microbiol, 2015-04) Le, Thuy; Cash-Goldwasser, Shama; Tho, Phan Vinh; Lan, Nguyen Phu Huong; Campbell, James I; van Doorn, H Rogier; Lam, Nguyen Tien; Trung, Nguyen Vu; Trinh, Dao Tuyet; Van Kinh, Nguyen; Wertheim, Heiman FL
    Rhodococcus equi infection is increasing in regions with high HIV prevalence worldwide. The microbiological features and clinical mimicry of tuberculosis infection pose diagnostic challenges in high-tuberculosis-incidence settings. We present two HIV-associated cases of R. equi infection from Vietnam and discuss the unique diagnostic challenges in such settings.
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    Epidemiology, seasonality, and predictors of outcome of AIDS-associated Penicillium marneffei infection in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.
    (Clin Infect Dis, 2011-04-01) Le, Thuy; Wolbers, Marcel; Chi, Nguyen Huu; Quang, Vo Minh; Chinh, Nguyen Tran; Lan, Nguyen Phu Huong; Lam, Pham Si; Kozal, Michael J; Shikuma, Cecilia M; Day, Jeremy N; Farrar, Jeremy
    BACKGROUND: Penicillium marneffei is an important human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated opportunistic pathogen in Southeast Asia. The epidemiology and the predictors of penicilliosis outcome are poorly understood. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of culture-confirmed incident penicilliosis admissions during 1996-2009 at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. Seasonality of penicilliosis was assessed using cosinor models. Logistic regression was used to assess predictors of death or worsening disease based on 10 predefined covariates, and Cox regression was performed to model time-to-antifungal initiation. RESULTS: A total of 795 patients were identified; hospital charts were obtainable for 513 patients (65%). Cases increased exponentially and peaked in 2007 (156 cases), mirroring the trends in AIDS admissions during the study period. A highly significant seasonality for penicilliosis (P<.001) but not for cryptococcosis (P=.63) or AIDS admissions (P=.83) was observed, with a 27% (95% confidence interval, 14%-41%) increase in incidence during rainy months. All patients were HIV infected; the median CD4 cell count (62 patients) was 7 cells/μL (interquartile range, 4-24 cells/μL). Hospital outcome was an improvement in 347 (68%), death in 101 (20%), worsening in 42 (8%), and nonassessable in 23 (5%) cases. Injection drug use, shorter history, absence of fever or skin lesions, elevated respiratory rates, higher lymphocyte count, and lower platelet count independently predicted poor outcome in both complete-case and multiple-imputation analyses. Time-to-treatment initiation was shorter for patients with skin lesions (hazard ratio, 3.78; 95% confidence interval, 2.96-4.84; P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Penicilliosis incidence correlates with the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Viet nam. The number of cases increases during rainy months. Injection drug use, shorter history, absence of fever or skin lesions, respiratory difficulty, higher lymphocyte count, and lower platelet count predict poor in-hospital outcome.
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    The decline of typhoid and the rise of non-typhoid salmonellae and fungal infections in a changing HIV landscape: bloodstream infection trends over 15 years in southern Vietnam
    (Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 2012-01) Nga, Tran Vu Thieu; Parry, Christopher M; Le, Thuy; Lan, Nguyen Phu Huong; Diep, To Song; Campbell, James I; Hoang, Nguyen Van Minh; Dung, Le Thi; Wain, John; Dolecek, Christiane; Farrar, Jeremy J; Chau, Nguyen Van Vinh; Hien, Tran Tinh; Day, Jeremy N; Baker, Stephen